Monday was the start of the 2020 legislative session. With only 60 days during this short session to complete our work, lawmakers wasted no time getting down to business. Some legislators have returned to Olympia, determined to thwart the will of the people. They are content to leave the fate...

Forward-looking approach aims to head off problems before they occur Ongoing problems at the scandal-plagued state Department of Corrections are prompting a trio of Senate Republicans to introduce a package of sweeping reforms to address what they call a costly and fatal record of mismanagement. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley,...

Padden will propose expanded package of reforms in 2020 session As yet another major scandal rocks the state Department of Corrections, Senate Republicans who have been urging sweeping reforms for the agency since 2016 say enough is enough, and it’s far past time that Gov. Jay Inslee show some leadership...

Last week, Brandi Kruse, a reporter for Seattle’s Fox Q13, tweeted: “If you’re an elected leader in our state who fought for sanctuary policies, be willing to step up and answer the hard questions when those policies hurt people. Not shirk away as if one woman’s pain and suffering is...

Sen. Mike Padden wants the courts to be able to consider previous DUI convictions over a longer period of time – as long as 25 years.

A week ago I traveled to Olympia for the signing of two bills I sponsored. One bill concerned the use of body cameras for law enforcement and the other dealt with pretrial release conditions that trial court judges may impose. There are additional details about both bills later in this...

Today the Senate voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 6410, concerning school safety. Under the measure, sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden, first-responders would be required to notify both public and private schools during any situation in their vicinity that would warrant an evacuation or lockdown. The bill would also create...

Today the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 6408, aimed at clarifying the rules surrounding the use of police body cameras. The measure is sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley. Legislation approved in 2016 established public-disclosure and other requirements relating to body-worn camera recordings and created the Joint Legislative Task...

The state Senate today approved a measure aimed at restoring judicial authority to set pretrial bail determinations and conditions of release. Sen. Mike Padden, the lead Republican on the Law and Justice Committee, sponsored Senate Bill 5987 to again let judges make “common-sense” decisions to save lives and protect the...